


The Library Boy

by lovingremus



Series: The Library Boy Universe [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Fluff, Libraries, M/M, Modern Era, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23665282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovingremus/pseuds/lovingremus
Summary: Remus Lupin is new in town and Sirius is smitten. Little does he know, Remus has his eyes on him, too.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: The Library Boy Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786093
Comments: 14
Kudos: 210





	The Library Boy

**-Sirius-**

There he was again.

At the table at the end of the row, sitting on a wooden chair, the only one that didn’t creak when someone sat on it, a chair that had some couples’ initials carved in it starting from the ’90s. Everyone who visited the library frequently knew that it was _his_ chair by now.

Sirius didn’t know much about him. Expect that he was new in town, and at the library every day from the late afternoon to closing hours. He knew that after a couple of hours the dude would pull snacks from his bright red backpack - chocolate and an energy bar (chocolate flavored) - and eat them while continuing to work on whatever he was doing each day.

He knew the boy would rest his chin on his palm and rub his cheek whenever he started to get tired. He knew his slightly crooked smile as came across something funny while reading was just about the cutest thing he’d ever seen.

And that his name was Remus Lupin.

Now that’d be a name to crack a joke or two about if he ever would have enough nerve to properly talk to him. He’d only talked to him once, weeks ago, when the boy had asked him to watch over his stuff while he went to the restroom. That’s how he’d found out his name, too, seen it on the cover of his calendar. _Remus J. Lupin_. He was dying to find out what the J stood for.

Sirius had never heard him talk much, anyway. Remus was always at the library alone, quietly working on his stuff, sometimes answering or making a phone call. But even by the limited interaction between them, Sirius could sense the boy’s kindness and intelligence. He seemed very calm and considerate, but Sirius had a weird feeling it wasn’t all this boy was about. He was a bit of a mystery.

And that was one of the things Sirius found so _intriguing_ about him.

Remus also appeared attractive with his light honey hair and large, warm, a bit hooded amber eyes, and thin scars running across his face. He seemed to be the perfect contrast to Sirius’s all-black aesthetic with his colorful Vans, beanies over the messy curls and oversized jumpers and hoodies under even larger denim jackets. Everything about him looked so _soft_ , and that’s exactly how he made Sirius feel.

**-Remus-**

_Such a fucking idiot,_ Remus thought, as he lied his eyes on the spot at the table the _dumbass_ had just left - leaving his laptop on the library table as if he hasn’t just shut it down a minute ago and packed all his other stuff with him. 

Remus would’ve shouted after him but he hadn’t noticed until the boy had been out of the building for a minute or so. He probably couldn’t run after him anymore even if he tried; he didn’t even know to which of the three directions he’d left.

Maybe he wouldn’t have done that anyway. Maybe he wouldn’t have been bold enough.

He’d just happened to have been desperately pining after said dumbass for a good while now. Ever since he’d moved to town and started to visit the library frequently. He spent hours there every day. It was a lovely place to study. Much better than his tiny, dim flat. It was where he’d met the boy. And definitely a good motive to always come back.

He’d started to make a list of the things he found beautiful about this boy. First, his smile. Wide and bright. Then his eyes. His hair, and his voice, fingers, and even his weird name, _Sirius Black_ , that Remus had heard his friends throw around like it was a compliment.

But the boy’s humor was the thing that had eventually got to him. Remus always found himself trying to hold in laughter as he overheard the boy talking with his friends a few seats away.

He’d tried to hide all the rising emotions even from himself at first. He’d had his fair share of falling for straight boys before. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that the boy could be anything else until he’d walked by while Sirius had been blasting something on his headphones way too loudly one day. He’d recognized the song in a heartbeat.

Y.M.C.A. He was definitely _not_ straight.

After that, he didn’t know how he hadn’t seen it sooner. It got Remus worried about how _he_ appeared to other people, and to Sirius in particular. He had always thought it only took one glance at him to figure out he was _disastrously_ bisexual, but he wasn’t too sure of it anymore. He’d even started to cuff his jeans just to send desperate hints at him.

Remus kept glancing at the laptop. Maybe Sirius would realize it’s missing and come back for it. Maybe he was just grabbing something from the café down the street and would be back soon anyway.

A couple of times he saw someone sneaking closer to it. Remus glared. He’d gladly get up and confront them about their intentions if need be, though he really wished it wouldn’t come to that. He wasn’t much for causing a scene. 

Luckily for him, there never was a need for that. As they looked around and saw him narrowing his eyes at them, they suddenly seemed to get a phone call or become really fascinated by _something_ and hurry away.

It was nearly eight when Remus finally closed his books. He packed them, got up and slowly walked over to the other table, looking around. He couldn’t just leave it there. Someone would steal it under five minutes after he’d be gone.

Remus knew he couldn’t have looked more suspicious as he carefully took the laptop and slid it in his own backpack. He felt stupid as soon as he started to march toward the front doors trying to do it as casually as possible.

He didn’t know how he could reach Sirius. It wasn’t like he had his number. They didn’t go to the same school. And Remus wasn’t much for social media. It all had always felt more pressuring than a way for him to express himself. Maybe the countless pictures of Sirius Black within his immediate reach wouldn’t do him much good either.

He’d just give the laptop back the next day. He’d come to the library, right? He always came. For him to admire and stare at. And now he’d have an excuse to open up a conversation. Maybe this was just the opportunity he’d been waiting for.

He held the door open for a tall, black-haired boy who was just coming in. Remus recognized him as the lad whom he’d seen hanging out with Sirius countless of times.

He got a sudden idea. A terrible or a really good one, he didn’t know.

“Hey, excuse me,” Remus said hastily, motioning with his hand vaguely, drawing the boy’s attention, who stopped and looked at him questioningly. Remus felt a blush rising up his neck. He was already having second thoughts, but it was too late to back away now. He’d never talked to the lad but hoped he’d recognize him from all the times he’d sat close to them at the library. Otherwise, he’d come across like a major creep. “You’re a friend of Sirius Black, right?”

The boy raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Depends who’s asking.” Then he instantly laughed at Remus’s confused expression. “I’m just kidding. Yeah, I’m his best friend, actually. I’m James. What’s up?”

“I have… I mean... he forgot his laptop. I took it so no one else would.” Remus knew exactly how blunt he sounded. “I was planning to return it tomorrow, but I can’t be sure if he’ll be around and then I saw you, so I thought…”

“Yeah, I was just about to pick it up for him,” James says, adjusting his glasses. He was smiling. Remus wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen him _not_ smiling. “So - you’ve got it?”

“Yes, here,” Remus said, opening his backpack, relieved by his reaction - he’d more or less expected the lad to call cops on him - but James interrupted him.

“Actually, would you mind taking it to him? I’ve got someplace to be in a few minutes, I’ll never make it there and back on time and he needs it tonight.”

“W-what?” Remus answered. “Oh. Oh. Okay.”

“You sure, mate?”

“Yes, not a problem,” Remus said, now smiling. He didn’t know why he was agreeing to it - maybe he should learn to say no. He’d always struggled with that. “Just… well… where does he live?”

**-James-**

What a good lad Sirius had his eyes on. Honest. Helpful. One could think it was dumb to trust him that blindly, but James would’ve bet his hand the guy was trustworthy. He was usually right about these things. And it was just something about him. Usually thieves just didn’t walk up to their victim’s friend and voluntarily hand over what they’d stolen...

And of course he knew who Remus Lupin was. He’d been hearing about him nonstop for weeks. _The library boy_. He’d even been forced to follow his Instagram account on behalf of Sirius, who didn’t want to seem as desperate as he really was. Not that any of it mattered, because Remus’s last post was from three years ago. James swore he’d never even seen him like or comment on any pictures. He hadn’t followed him back. He probably didn’t use the whole app at all.

He hadn’t planned that beforehand, giving Remus the task of returning the laptop. He’d been meaning to walk into the library, hoping that the laptop would still be there, grab it and run to Sirius’s apartment and back and pray he wouldn’t be too late. He certainly had plans for the night, and Sirius’s plea to get his laptop for him had come in way too late for him to reschedule his date. The reservation at the restaurant wouldn’t wait for long.

But then things had taken a turn as he’d been handed a great opportunity to hook his friend up with his loverboy.

So he’d told him Sirius’s address. It wasn’t like him to go around sharing his best friend’s personal information. He would never do anything like that just for shits and giggles. God knows how many people had tried to come for him for Sirius’s number.

This guy was different.

As Remus had left, James retrieved his phone from his pocket, reading through his recent conversation with his friend.

_7.29 PM (Sirius): i think i left my laptop to the library you live close can you go get it and bring it to me?_

_7.31 PM (James): Seriously, mate, I’ve got a date in half an hour_

_7.31 PM (Sirius): lily?_

_7.32 PM (James): Of course it’s Lily_

_7.36 PM (James): Alright, you know, it’s fine, I’ll figure it out, you’ll get your laptop_

_7.40 PM (Sirius): thanks, man_

He grinned as he typed in a new message.

_7.59 PM (James): There in 10 minutes_

  
  


**-Remus-**

Remus couldn’t believe the street Sirius lived on was just a few blocks away from his own flat. He could just drop it off at his place on the way home.

Still, he felt dumber by the minute. What was he doing? Why had he taken the laptop in the first place? To make sure no one would steal it? He could’ve just handed it directly to the staff. They surely would’ve kept it safe...

Remus fixed his hair nervously as he turned to Sirius’s home street. Maybe he’d catch a glimpse of his apartment. See him as he was at home - he imagined what he’d look like when he didn’t have to worry that people were going to see him - in sweatpants and his hair messed up, take-away ramen stains on his shirt.

Hell, even then he’d look so hot.

**-Sirius-**

He threw his phone on his bed and sighed.

Thank God for friends like James.

Such a stupid mistake, to leave the laptop there. He’d just completely got lost in his thoughts - and just _maybe_ been slightly distracted by a boy in a Christmas jumper in mid-February throwing not-so-subtle glances at him.

He’d gone to the library every day to see _him_ because he knew he’d be there, and then just switch between working and pretending to work while gathering the courage to walk up to him.

He confronted people for a living, heaven’s sake. He was studying to become a journalist and already wrote some articles to a local magazine. He interviewed people almost every week. It was his job to walk up to people and _talk_. And yet the only time they’d ever talked had been initiated by Remus.

Maybe he could interview him for a made-up article. _“It’s about cute queer boys that have recently moved to town, hi, what’s your name, as if I didn’t know it already?”_

Because thank God Remus was queer. Damn hopefully, at least. Sirius had seen him visiting the LGBTQ bookshelf at least once a week, always picking a new book to read - also he was pretty sure he’d seen him wearing socks with bisexual-flag colored bees on them. It couldn’t be a coincidence.

It was time to let the library boy slip from his thoughts for a moment. He undressed and stepped into the shower to perform the best mini-concert he’d had for a while - Led Zeppelin, Queen, David Bowie... He didn’t even remember to feel sorry for his neighbors. He took the showerhead down to hold it in his hands like a microphone. The face of Remus Lupin took over his mind again as soon as he hummed the first notes to _Love of My Life_ , and he was serenading just for him.

He stepped out of the shower just when the doorbell rang - unusual, because normally James would just bolt into his apartment as it was his own. Maybe Lily was with him and he wanted to make a good impression.

Sirius wrapped a towel loosely around his waist and walked to the door. If Lily was really there too, he knew he’d piss James off for opening the door like that (and Sirius would just get a good laugh out of it) - if she wasn’t, James wouldn’t blink even if Sirius opened the door completely naked.

“Took you long enough, wanker,” Sirius said, wearing his trademark grin, as he opened the door to let his friend in, then felt a terrible urge to slam it closed again and _hide_. But he didn’t.

Fuck.

**-Remus-**

Fuck.

Whatever he’d expected, this was not it.

He’d planned to greet him with a confident smile, maybe try to say something funny and clever, make him laugh, but - _fuck._

Seeing Sirius Black standing in front of him only wearing a dark towel covering him from hip down to just above his knees, black locks still dripping water as he’d just gotten out of the shower, and that damned face blushing at the sight of him was enough to stun him silent for a moment.

“Uh,” Remus said, forcing himself to look away. It was a challenge not to let his gaze wander all over Sirius’s bare torso. He felt his own face burning at least as red as Sirius’s. And it wasn’t the only part of him getting heated. “Sorry. I… um… you forgot your laptop.”

“Right,” Sirius said, as Remus started to open his backpack. They fell into an uncomfortable silence, during which Remus tried to clumsily pull out the laptop. He was painfully aware of Sirius eyeing his every movement.

Sirius breathed in. “I thought my friend was going to…”

“I know,” Remus said apologetically. “I talked to him, he was just about to pick it up. But he asked if I could, he was busy, and I live only a couple blocks away, so I thought I could just as well…”

Remus finally got to hand the laptop back to him. Sirius weighed it in his hands, licking his lips. “I’m surprised that nobody tried to steal it. The town’s full of creeps.”

Remus shrugged. “Well, I think a few tried. But I made sure they didn’t.”

Sirius looked confused, yet a bit flattered by such an act, and he looked up to meet Remus’s eyes for the first time during the conversation.

“That’s… Thank you. Really.”

“No worries.”

“You want something in return?” Remus figured Sirius must’ve realized what it’d sounded like, standing there only wearing a towel to cover his private parts, because he blushed even deeper. He cleared his throat. “I mean, uh, a reward, like, I can throw you a few bucks. I mean, what you did was really -”

“It’s okay.” Remus wondered if it was possible for either of them to get even more flustered. “I’m just… glad I could help.”

He’d already waved awkward goodbyes, turned and started to walk away when he suddenly turned abruptly. “Sirius?”

He didn’t know what madness was driving him to do it, but he guessed the situation couldn’t get much more mortifying, and if he was to make a fool of himself, at least he’d _tried_.

**-Sirius-**

James was a dead man walking, that’s for sure. How about a heads-up? How could’ve he embarrassed him like that? He could’ve postponed his shower with fifteen minutes and not insulted his crush, wearing barely anything.

He was already closing the door behind him when he heard Remus’s voice calling his name. He cursed in his mind. Couldn’t the moment be already over? Or could he at least give him half a minute to get some actual pants on?

Sirius opened the door slightly and poked his head out as if Remus hadn’t already seen all else there was to see. “Yeah?”

“Maybe there is something you could do.”

Sirius leaned his body against the door. “Oh, well, sure. How much you’d like? I don’t think I have much cash, but I can transfer some to your bank account...”

Remus smiled, but Sirius could see it wavering as if the boy was about to flee at any moment.

“No, I… I was thinking,” he said, pulling a pen from his pocket - as he was about to start sharing autographs - and an old receipt from another. He scribbled something on the backside and handed it to Sirius, the confidence in his smile now visibly fading. “A text from you would do. As a reward. I mean. If you want. You don’t have to. But I would like that.”

Sirius reached for it, making sure their hands would not touch. It wasn’t a great time for a good-old _our fingers accidentally brushed_ -fanfiction cliche. 

It was a phone number, with _xx Remus Lupin_ signed under it. Whole name. So _formal_ . And so _cute_ Sirius thought his knees might give out. Remus’s nervous rambling had been enough to make his legs feel like jelly. He stared at the little x’s. It took him a moment to wrap his head around what was happening, to pull himself back to reality.

Remus looked more anxious by the second. He was picking the sleeve of his jumper. He seemed to be regretting the whole thing, and was just about to open his mouth again when Sirius forced himself to talk.

“I… I’ll text you,” he croaked out, half of it coming out only as a whisper. Their eyes met again. The answer seemed to be satisfying enough to Remus, anyway, because his smile grew again and he pulled his backpack on.

“Okay. Great. I’m looking forward to it.”

He turned away for the second time. This time, Sirius didn’t even try to close the door before the boy’s back disappeared from his sight at the end of the street.

He squeezed the receipt on his fist.

**-Remus-**

_11.48 PM (Unknown number): so how high were your parents to name their son remus lupin_

Lying on his couch at home, Remus didn’t have to hold in his laugh anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @[lovingremus](http://lovingremus.tumblr.com/)


End file.
